Mike Pelfrey tosses complete game as Mets down Angels, 6-1

Al Bello/Getty ImagesThe Mets' Mike Pelfrey throws against the Angels tonight. Pelfrey went on to pitch the third complete game of his career.

NEW YORK — As Mike Pelfrey lowered his 6-7 frame into the dugout after the eighth inning tonight at Citi Field, he and manager Terry Collins locked eyes and had a brief conversation.

“I came in and we made eye contact and I said, ‘I’m good,’” Pelfrey said. “He said, ‘Are you sure? I said, ‘100 percent. I’m good.’ He said, ‘All right. Well, go get them.’ I appreciated the opportunity and it worked out. It’s fun to finish what you start.”

Pelfrey, the Mets’ struggling ace, went the distance for the first time this season and only the third time in his career to halt a two-game losing streak and get the Mets back within one game of the .500 mark with a 6-1 victory over the Angels before 31,538 fans that showered him a standing ovation after the final out. It snapped a six-start winless streak for the big right-hander.

Pelfrey spun a gem in raising his record to 4-5, tossing a five hitter with five strikeouts and no walks as his fastball was humming and he had pinpoint command. He threw a season-high 123 pitches, the second-most in his career. The lone run he allowed was a homer by Mark Trumbo. He last went the distance Aug. 25, 2008 in a 9-1 victory over Houston.

“After the last two nights (one-run losses), you needed your No. 1 guy to give you a game and he did,” Collins said.

The Mets (35-36), whose poor execution and inability to play small ball had Collins preaching fundamentals in recent days, raced back into his good graces by stealing four bases, all leading to runs, with each base runner scoring from second base. Jose Reyes stole two bases and scored twice.

Carlos Beltran treated his manager — and the fans — to a 400-foot, two-run homer that landed near the bridge in right field that was the knockout blow in a three-run fifth inning. He also had an RBI single.

“It was a good pitch down the middle,” Beltran said of his 10th homer of the season. “I felt good at the plate. I was using my legs. As soon as I hit it, I know it was gone. I don’t like to (brag about) homers, maybe a little bit, but I don’t really know where it landed. The guys told me.”

The game also featured a key run-scoring single by the much-maligned Jason Bay, who had two hits and also scored a run. He has multiple hits in three of his last four games.

“It’s something to build on,” said Bay, who is batting .412 (7-of-17) over the past four games. “I’m still searching. But I can come to the ballpark trying to hone something instead of trying to find something. It’s much more exciting.”

The Mets, sluggish Friday coming off a 10-game road trip, played aggressively from the start, taking advantage of the slow delivery of Dan Haren (6-5), who entered the game with the third-best ERA (2.54) in the American League but was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in four-plus innings.

“We knew he was going to be slow to home plate and we wanted to make something happen,” said Reyes, who scored twice and stole two bases to raise his total to 26, among the league leaders. The Mets lead the majors with 72 stolen bases.

For the Mets, it now about reaching .500 once again and staying there.

“It’s important,” Reyes said. “When you play below .500, you’re not playing good baseball.”

Said Pelfrey: ‘‘We didn’t get off to the start we wanted (5-13) but we’re playing well. We’re a lot better than a .500 team. I think at the end of the year it’s going to show.”